Setting Up Forms in ePortfolio

Forms are pages created by an institution, department, or course designer for collecting information from users. When you create a form you specify what fields it includes, what type of information each field collects, and whether a field is required. When users fill out a form it becomes an artifact in their portfolio which they can share, edit, and add to collections and presentations. Users can fill out a form multiple times and they can allow others to comment on or evaluate their entries. Because forms are structured, they provide scaffolding and guidance.

Table of contents

Use scenarios

Create a form for users working on long-term research projects. Include fields such as: Project Name, Description, Timeline, Requirements, and Project Plan. Require users to submit the form to the dropbox folder for a course on Long-term Research Projects that all users involved in graduate studies are enrolled in.

Create a form for recording work history information that users might want to include in resumes. Include fields such as: Employer Name, Supervisor, Contact Information, Period of Employment, Job Description, Accreditations, and Skills Development. Also include areas to attach Work Samples, Employment Evaluations and Letters of Reference.

Create a form that provides scaffolding and guidance to users who want to self-evaluate an artifact or presentation. Include areas to reflect on learning and personal goals, and a rubric to ensure consistent assessment. End the form with an area to associate the related item.

Forms are created in Learning Environment, not in the ePortfolio tool. Organization-wide forms are created in the ePortfolio area of the My Admin Tools widget. Course forms are created from the Course Administration area for a specific course.

Note: Forms are not course specific. When you share a form with individuals in your course they can use it in other courses and repurpose it as desired.

Access the area for managing course forms

Open a course.

Do one of the following:

Click Edit Course on the navbar and then under Tools click Forms.

Click Forms in the Course Administration widget (See Widgets and Homepages for more information).

Parts of a form

There are two areas to complete when creating a form: form details and form content. The details area contains the name and description of the form and which courses have access to it. The content area contains the actual fields users fill out.

The content area of a form may contain two types of fields: system fields and custom fields.

System fields are automatically populated with data from a user’s profile. Some typical system fields include:

First Name

Last Name

Email

Picture

Address

Custom fields are filled in by the user. You define what type of information users enter in a custom field and whether it is required.

There are 11 custom field options:

Drop-down List - Creates a drop-down list of options that users can choose between. Use this option or a radio button when you want users to choose only one option from a predetermined list.

Tip: It is good practice to make the default value descriptive text rather than one of the options. For example, -- Select a file type -- or -- Choose an action --.

Radio Button List - Creates a set of radio buttons that users select one option from. Use this option or a drop-down list when you want users to choose only one option from a predetermined list.

Check Box List - Creates a set of check box items that users can select options from. Use this option when you want users to choose one or multiple options from a predetermined list.

Text Input - Simple Text - Creates a standard text field for entering text. You determine how many characters the text field accepts. You can also provide default text or instructions to help guide users’ responses.

Text Input - Formatted Text - Creates a text field that uses the HTML Editor. Formatted text fields allow you to use graphics, tables, links and other functionality available in the HTML Editor.

Numeric Input - Creates a field that only accepts numeric data. You can specify whether decimals and negatives are allowed.

Note: If the input contains numeric characters as well as symbols or text, use a simple text field instead. For example, for phone numbers or product numbers use a simple text field and provide examples such as, (555) 555-5555 or 1264-AX100.

Date and Time Input - Creates a standard date selector and calendar for selecting a date and/or time.

Information - Provides a rich text field for adding a content area to a form. A content area provides information to users rather than collecting it. For example, you could provide text instructions, a graph, or an image.

File Upload - Creates an Add a File button and file upload dialog for attaching a file. You can specify what types of files users can upload as well as a maximum file size.

Rubric Evaluation - Allows you to insert a rubric created in Learning Environment. Use this option to gather consistent feedback from users. For example, create a peer evaluation form that includes a rubric with the appropriate assessment options.

Learning Portfolio Item Link - Creates an Add button and dialog that lets users associate the form with an item in their portfolio. You can restrict what types of items a user can link the form to. For example, if you have a form for reflecting on or evaluating a presentation, require that users link to the presentation in the form.

Note: You can only link to an item in your own portfolio. When you follow a link in a form, you have the same permissions for the item as you do for the form, even if the permissions differ from your normal permissions for the item.

Creating a form

Set up a form

Click New Form at the top of the Forms List page.

Enter a Name and Description.

Select Current Org Unit check box (Optional).

Click Save.

Note: You can only share forms with org units below the org unit you are working from in your organization's hierarchy; therefore, you cannot share forms created in a course as this is the lowest org unit level forms are created in.

Add a system field

Click Add System Field.

Select the Field Name you want to add.

Click Add.

Add a custom field

Click Add Custom Field.

Enter a Field Name.

Select the Required check box if the field is required.

Choose the Data Type for the field.

Fill in additional information based on the data type.

Click Save.

Add a separator between fields

Click Add Separator.

Give the separator a Name.

Select Show name on separator if you want the name to appear as a heading.

Click Save.

Reorder fields

Click Reorder Fields.

Select a new position for a field using the Sort Order drop-down list beside its name. The positions of other fields adjust accordingly.

Click Save.

Edit a field

Click the Edit icon beside the field’s name on the Edit Form Contents page.